The evolution of White Van Man

Partial to the odd fry-up, a punt on the horses and a smoking habit to rival Bet Lynch, the stereotype of Britain’s White Van Man has never been too complimentary, but a new poll by Express Insurance shows this profile to be more than a little exaggerated.

Cereal for breakfast, regular exercise and holidays in the Far East are all part and parcel of the life of the White Van Man in 2010 according to the survey in 2009 of more than 1000 van drivers across the country.

The poll showed that more 40 per cent visit the gym on a regular basis and now enjoyed holidaying in Latin America, South East Asia and the Caribbean.

The research, by car, motorbike and van insurers Express Insurance, was conducted to see whether the age-old image of the UK’s van drivers had evolved since radio presenter, Sarah Kennedy, first coined the phrase ‘White Van Man’ back in 1997.

Only 8 per cent of those polled said they had to start the day with a cooked breakfast, just 27 per cent smoke and spending time with the family was the number one pastime.

During the last decade, White Van Man has also become technically dependent. More than 30 per cent own laptops and keep themselves entertained with iphones and MP3 players.

Some things don’t change. Football remains the favourite sport ahead of rugby and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and action and comedy films continue to be streets ahead of costume dramas and romantic comedies.

Managing Director, Tony Way, said: “The results show that time has softened the stereotype of old. The fact that the pub didn’t even register on the favourite pastime list shows just how White Van Man has become more cultured over the last decade.”